Gas flow controller means for a refrigerator



June 18, 1963 J. P. OGRADY GAS FLOW .CONTROLLER MEANS FORA REFRIGERATOR Filed July. 24. 19e;

Y {n-esl? James P. OGrady,

United States Patent O 3,093,981 GAS FLOW CONTROLLER MEANS FOR A REFRIGERATOR Evansville, Ind., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 24, 1961, Ser. No. 125,997 9 Claims. (Cl. 62-408) This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and in particular to dual chamber refrigeration apparatus having forced air circulation.

A conventional form of refrigeration apparatus, las -for use in the home, includes means defining an upper freezer chamber and means defining -a lower refrigerator chamber with a muli-ion, or horizontal dividing Wall, disposed therebetween and defining a refrigerated air passage wherein air circulated through the chambers is refrigerated.

` The present invention is concerned with the control of the air flow to provide temperature regulation in the refrigeration apparatus.

Thus, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved refrigeration apparatus.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such an apparatus having new and improved means for i controlling the flow of refrigerating air through a champroved means for controlling the ilow of refrigerating air to and from the refrigerator chamber thereof.

Other features .and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the vfollowing description :taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE V1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a refrigeration apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the refrigeration apparatus. with hidden portions thereof shown in dotted -lines; and

FIGURE 3 is -a fragmentary enlarged section illustrating in greater detail the lair flow control thereof.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown 1n the drawing the refrigeration apparatus 10 comprises an insula-ted enclosure 11 and a mullion, or horizontal 'dividing wall, 12 dividing the interior of the enclosure 1-1 into an upper yfreezer chamber 13 having a front opening 14 selectively closed by -a door 15, land a lower refrigerator chamber 16 having a front opening 17 selectively closed by a door 18. The wall 12 includes a pair of generally horizontally extending, vertically spaced plates 19 and 20 defining `an a-ir passage 21 having an outlet 22 at the front end thereof communicating with the freezer chamber 13 and :an inlet 23 at the rear end thereof. Outlet 22 comprises an opening in the upper plate 19 and inlet 23 comprises an opening defined by the upturned rear portion 24 of the lower plate 20 and the rear end of the upper plate 19. The wall 12 further includes a body of insulation 25 disposed between lower plate 20 and a bottom plate 26. A conventional evaporator 27 is disposed in the passage 21 for refrigerating air passing therethrough from inlet 23 to outlet 22.

A third chamber 28 is defined by a front plate 29 and a rear plate 30 rearwardly of chamber 13 and dividing wall 12. A fan 31 driven by a suitable motor 32 is disposed in chamber 28 for moving the air in the apparatus 10. Herein fan 31 is arranged to move the air from chamber 28 to passage 21; as will be obvious to one skilled in the art, however, the fan may be reversed to provide a reverse direction of air flow 4in the respective compartments. The chamber 28 is divided into an inlet 3,093,981 Patented June 18, 1963 ICC portion 33 and an outlet portion 34 by the liner 35 of the enclosure rear wall 36 which includes an upper opening 39 fitted with la louvered inlet device 40 for passing -air from freezer chamber 13 to inlet portion 33 of chamber 28.

The liner 35 is provided wi-th -a second opening 41 across which the fan 31 extends. A portion of the air delivered by fan 31 passes downwardly through the upper end 42 of a duct 43 having a louvered outlet 45 at its lower end for delivering the air to the refrigerator chamber 16. The lower end of the inlet portion 33 of chamber 28 communicates with a duct 47 having an inlet opening 49 at the lower end thereof adjacent the bottom wall 50 of the enclosure 11 for passing air from refrigerator chamber 16 to the inlet portion 33 of the fan chamber 28. Thus air is circulated by fan 31 in two streams through .the respective freezer and refrigerator chambers as shown in FIGURE l. The |air lof the upper stream is refrigerated in passage 21 by its passage in thermal transfer association with evaporator 27 therein to refrigerate the chamber 13 to =a low subfreezing temperature. The lower refrigerator chamber 16 is refrigerated to a higher; above-freezing temperature by a mixture of refrigerated air from the upper stream and recirculated air from the lower chamber 16 delivered to .the inlet portion 33 of the fan cham-ber 28, which mixture is delivered through the duct `43 to the chamber 16.

The presen-t invention comprehends a control of the temperature of refrigerated chamber y16 by controlling thev-olume of air delivered lthereto through duct '43. More specifically, as best seen in FIGURE 3, a damper 51 is pivotally carried on a horizontal support 52 for selectively opening and thrott-ling the ducts 43 and 47. The damper includes a lirst portion 53 in duct 43 and a second portion 54 in -duct 47 which portions are integrally joined to the support 52 for concurrent adjustment of the `air flow through each of the ducts 43 and 47. The adjustment of the damper -51 is effected by means of a control member 55 defined by la wheel havin-g la gear 58 meshing with a gear 59 on support 52. Thus the wheel is readily available for manipulation by the housewife to control the setting of the damper 51. The periphery of the wheel may be provided with suitable indicia 60 to indicate to the housewife the adjustment of the damper 51.

In operation, fan 31 circulates the :air through chambers V13 and 16 in response toa thermostat 61. Thermostat 61 may be disposed lselectively within chambers 13 or 16; herein the thermostat 61 is disposed in the refrigerator chamber 16. Concurrently with the oper-ation of fan 31, the evaporator 27 is refrigerated to refrigerate the stream of fair passing through passage 21 and chamber 13. As indicated above, a portion of this refrigerated air is mixed with air circulating from refrigerator chamber 16 through duct 47 to the fan chamber inlet portion 33 and the resultant mixture is delivered to refrigerator chamber 16 through duct 43 at ya rate controlled by damper 51. The temperature of chamber 16 may be adjusted as desired by suitable setting of thermostat 61, and the temperature of chamber 13 will be lowered to a lower temperature `as determined by the `setting of the damper 51 which controls the length of time the fan 31 must operate to lower the temperature of chamber 16 to the setting of the thermostat.

The concurrent adjustment of the air flow rate 4through ducts 43 and 47 provided by the integrally associated damper portions 53 and 54 eliectively precludes develop ment of undesirable pressure in the refrigerator chamber 16, such as an undesirable positive pressure resulting from a restriction of duct 47 greater than of duct 43, or an undesirable negative pressure resulting from a restriction of duct 43 greater than of duct 47. The development of such pressures would adversely effect the desired tempenature differential between the'chambers 13Jand 16iasair would pass as a result thereof between the chambers through the insulation walls and around the breakers conventionally employed for sealing the chambers.

Thus, refrigeration apparatus provides an improved simplified structure for facilitated control of the Atempera- 'ture of refrigerator chamber- 16 utilizing simple, manual adjustment means for regulating `the flow of refrigerated air. thereto.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it lis my intention` that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set passage to form a continuous air path to supply refrigerated air to said first chamber; rst duct means for conducting air from said third chamber to said second chamber; second duc-t means-for conducting lai-r from said second chamber back to said Ithird chamber; and means in `each of said duct means for controlling the rate of air flowv therethrough.

2. Refrigeration apparatus comprising: means defining -a first chamber; means defining a second chamber; means defining ian Yair passage; meansfor refrigerating air in said passage; means defining a third chamber; means interconnecting said first chamber,` third chamber and tair passage; air moving `means in -said third chamber for delivering refrigerated air -to said first chamber; first 'duct V-means forconductingair from said third chamber tosaid second chamber; second duct means for conducting air from said` second chamber back to said third chamber;

and `means for controlling the air flow through each of said duct means to adjust the rate of delivery of refrigerated air from the third chamber to the second chamber while maintaining -the air pressure in said second charn- -ber substantially equal to the air pressure in said first chamber.

3. The refrigeration apparatus of-claim 2 wherein said second duct means is juxtaposed to said firstduct means. 4. Refrigeration 5apparatus comprising: means defining a first chamber; means defining a second chamber; means J defining :an air passage; means for refrigerating air in said passage; means defining =a third chamber; means interconnecting said first chamber, third. chamber 4and air passage; air moving means in said third chamber for delivering refrigerated air to said first chamber; first duct 5 means for conducting air from said third chamber to said second chamber; second duct means for conducting air from said second chamber back to said :third chamber; and a pair of interconnected flow restrictors disposed one each in said duct means.

5. The refrigeration apparatus lof `claim 4 wherein Isaid flow restrictors comprise a bipartite damper having a first fiow restricting portion in one duct means and a second -flow restrictingpor-tion in the "other duct means.

6. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 4 wherein said second `duct means is juxtaposed to Asaid first-duct means. 7. The refrigeration apparatus yof =c1tairnf4 wherein said 'secondiiow restrictor impedes the-flow of air in said second duct means to ysubstantially [the same extent that Vthe "first flow restrictor impedes the ow of Iair in -said :first duct means therebyfto maintain the Vair pressure in said yseco-nd chamber substantially equal to the air pressure in s'aid'rst chamber.

8. The refrigeration :apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first Iand second flow restrictors comprise a bipartite damper having a lfirst portion in said first duct means and a second .portion in Vsaid second duct means.

9. Refrigeration apparatus comprising: means defining a first chamber; means defining a second chamber; means defining an air passage; `means for refrigerating air in `saidzpassage; means Vdefining-a1third chamber; means interconnectingfsaidffirst chamber, third chamber'fand air passage; air moving means in said third chamber for deliveringrefrigerated' air to` said first chamber; first duct .means for conducting air from said third chamberto said secon-d chamber; second duct means for conducting air from said secondlchamber back to the third chamber; `a

frstow restrictor in said first duct means;-a second flow wrestrictor in said second duct meanseinterconnected for movementzwith said first flow restriotor; and manual-control means'for concurrently controllingfsaid first and second flow restrictors, saidrst'fiow restrictor fat all times .impeding the-flow of-air in said first duct meansto sub- `stantially the samecxtent that the second flow restrictor impedes the flow of air in said second duct means thereby 45 -,to maintain the air-pressure in saidl second chamber subst-antially equal tothe air pressure in saidfirst chamber.

AReferences Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `Mann Oct. 6, 1959 Quick Nov. 22, 1960 

1. REFRIGERATION APPARATUS COMPRISING: MEANS DEFINING A FIRST CHAMBER; MEANS DEFINING A SECOND CHAMBER; MEANS DEFINING AN AIR PASSAGE; MEANS FOR REFRIGERATING AIR IN SAID PASSAGE; MEANS DEFINING A THIRD CHAMBER; AIR MOVING MEANS IN SAID THIRD CHAMBER; MEANS SEQUENTIALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID FIRST CHAMBER, THIRD CHAMBER AND AIR PASSAGE TO FORM A CONTINUOUS AIR PATH TO SUPPLY REFRIGERATED AIR TO SAID FIRST CHAMBER; FIRST DUCT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING AIR FROM SAID THIRD CHAMBER TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER; SECOND DUCT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING AIR FROM SAID SECOND CHAMBER BACK TO SAID THIRD CHAMBER; AND MEANS IN EACH OF SAID DUCT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RATE OF AIR FLOW THERETHROUGH. 